No Matter What
by NJ Blackthorne
Summary: Castle is challenged for custody of Alexis by his ex-wife and her new husband who claims he is Alexis' biological father. Please be advised that this is not in general a fluffy fic and does possesses elements that you may find disturbing.
1. Chapter 1

No Matter What

Chapter 1

Richard Castle bounded off the steps of his lawyer's office with a furrowed brow as the gentle wind caressed his face softly but with cool fingers and played lightly with his light brown hair. The slight chill in the air made a windbreaker a requirement today. He zipped the jacket up and tugged the elastic cuffs at his wrists. It was still somewhat cool for New York this late in the spring but it was definitely better than the snow of winter and the humidity of summer. Still, no matter the season, he loved New York and couldn't imagine living elsewhere. Everybody he loved and everything he wanted was right here – most of the time.

Meredith had remarried a month ago and was demanding custody of their daughter. She had told him that her husband was actually Alexis' father. He could not understand her sudden desire to be a parent or why she was lying about Alexis' paternity. He had bargained with her to have Alexis, to not abort her when she became accidently pregnant. He would care for the baby he told her and she would return to the acting world.

The papers were signed for both divorce and custody when Alexis was just 6 weeks old. She had gone so far as to terminate her parental rights totally to Alexis. Over the years, she visited her daughter in New York and when she became a teenager, Alexis had gone to California to visit her mother. He had never denied her access to their daughter and had never told their daughter about her mother's decision to never responsible for her.

Castle's attorney had directed him to go to another attorney that specialized in custody cases, Ray Trevikj. After looking at the documents provided by Castle, Trevikj recommended that a paternity test be performed on Alexis. Castle did not like that idea and told him so. "I don't care who the biological father is, she is mine now and has been since the day I found out that Meredith was pregnant with her!"

Trevikj calmly stated that if she was indeed Meredith husband's biological child that man could claim Alexis on the basis of his not knowing of her existence, but since she was 16 years old Alexis would have the choice of who to live with unless it could be proved that Castle was not a fit parent. He, also, said the DNA tests would take a few weeks to do and that a home study and background check would have to be performed on both Meredith and Castle which could take up to six months or more and then a court date would be set.

"This could take up to a year to get to family court. If we can drag this out, Alexis will be of legal age and all of their wrangling will be for naught, but hire a private detective, Mr. Castle. Help prove your ex-wife would not be a suitable parent no matter the biological father." He looked pointedly at Castle furious visage. " Anger is pointless. Use your intelligence. We can beat them." Suddenly he grinned at Castle. "Your books show that you have a perceptive and devious mind. Use it to our advantage."

Castle grinned back. "You help me keep my daughter and not only will I dedicate my next book to you but I make you one of the characters." Castle looked at the small, dark man who was, hopefully, going to save his family. "Alexis and my mother are out of country right now. They left this morning. They will be back in a few weeks. I really don't want Alexis to learn about this until she has to. How can we do the test?"

The attorney shuffled through his papers on his desk and handed him a card. "Take Alexis toothbrush or a strand of her hair to this laboratory. Make sure that a follicle is attached to the hair. They will be able to test it," a dark eye cocked at Castle. "Don't you ever watch CSI?"

Alexis and his mother were gone for the next few weeks as his mother had been offered a role in a movie filming in Ireland. Upon hearing this Alexis had turned her sky blue eyes to him, bounced slight on her toes, grasped her fingers in front of her and asked "Please, may I go, too?" His mother looked at him and smiled her agreement, while cocking an eyebrow at her son. While both women waited for his answer, flashes of a baby and little girl flooded his mind. He remembered changing her diapers, her first steps, her standing on his feet while they danced, running on the beach as her diaper fell off, merry-go-round rides and first day of school where as he hid in the bushes watching his daughter. More recently, first dates and first loves.

She was beginning to spread her wings a little and fly further from their happy nest, away from him. He had mixed feelings regarding her fledgling struggles, but with a little help from Beckett and his mother, understood. Time was not going to stand still for anyone and as much as he would like everything to remain as it was, things were changing. Alexis had grown into a stunning, intelligent young woman with flowing red hair and porcelain skin and it was time for her to express herself. He just hoped that she expressed herself a little less colorfully than he did at her age or, for that matter, now. He rarely had denied her anything and so no reason to do so now. "Go. Have fun. And call everyday!"

They took a cab to the airport. Alexi said, as she hugged her father tight, she didn't want to see him cry when she left. Besides she couldn't be sure if the tears were sadness due to her leaving or joy that her grandmother was going. He, of course, protested that he never cried because of happiness. He had not argued with her because he had an appointment with the attorney.

A desk sergeant had called moments after the cab took his family away and told him Beckett had a murder for him. First to Starbucks for coffee, a ritual he and Beckett had enjoyed between themselves since the beginning of their partnership then off to the precinct to see what was happening. It was odd that a desk sergeant had called and told him to come to the station. Usually Beckett called him to the scene or once in a while, Ryan or Esposito. He mentally shrugged and made his way to his preferred coffee shop.

Two men swung out of a white four door sedan, catching his eye. They were both muscular and tall, an inch or two more than Castle's own 6'2" with buzz cut surfer blonde hair. They looked enough alike to be brothers. They wore dark t-shirts and grey cloth jackets with the sleeves pushed up to their elbows. Barbed wire tattoos encircled their thick necks with small, dark teardrop tats on their faces just under the corner of their right eye. The man on the left sported four drops and the other, only one. Their left forearms carried a large tattoo resembling a vibrant bird of prey. The only difference between the two was that one with four tears was seemed much older. His hazel eyes were weary and worn whereas the younger off the two reminded Castle of an overactive puppy. He exuded a surplus of energy.

The two men relaxed against the front fender of their car with their arms crossed, glancing at him then casually looking around at the traffic. Foreboding rattled through him. Castle continued down the sidewalk, walking just a little faster. His gut feeling told him they were trouble and trouble was looking his way.

He had started taking some mixed martial arts classes a few weeks ago and Beckett had regularly been wiping the floor with him at the precinct gym for the last few months, attempting to show him how to defend himself in case he got into to trouble, or as she put it, "at least put up a showing so you won't die before we can save your sorry ass." He had grinned at her had told her he was a lover, not a fighter. She had rolled her eyes and tossed him to the floor again. Beckett just yesterday compared him to a big marshmallow because he was still too soft. He smiled at her and asked if she liked sweets. Moments later, he was again intimately reacquainted with the floor.

As he past the men, they fell into step behind him. Castle knew he was in danger. He began searching for an escape route. To the left of him were locked buildings and to the right a busy street. He decided he would take his chances with the busy street. He began to dart into the street to hail a passing cab when he was blocked by the two men and forced into an alley where the white sedan pulled in behind them. He shoved his hand into his pocket, pressing the button that would automatically call Beckett. He palmed his cell phone, pushing the phone into the sleeve of his jacket and turned to face his assailants.

"Get into the car, Mr. Castle." One of men ordered as the other opened the rear door for him.

He mentally counted to ten, waiting for Beckett to answer, then began speaking a little louder than he would have normally to cover her voice, "No, I don't think getting in that car would be a good idea. You two guys" he glanced into the car at the driver, "three guys were really noticeable in following me. You really should read one of my books. I have used kidnapping in a couple of them. I am sure you would be able to do it better if you studied them a bit." Castle gave a little grin while he edged away from the car and the men, towards the sidewalk. "_Please be tracing this call Beckett_," he prayed, as one of the men grabbed him by the neck.

"You may get in the car conscious or unconscious." He squeezed his neck and shook him for emphasis. "Makes no difference to me. He just told me to come get you." Castle allowed himself to be pushed into the car.

Castle was sandwiched between the two men in the backseat. "Hey, what's with the tats of barbed wire on your neck and the dark tears on your cheeks? That is some awesome bird on your arms. Where are we going? The only thing in this direction is the ocean." Castle paused, looking at the man driving. "So, who's 'the man?'"

The man with one tear on his cheek sneered at him. "Prison, idiot. Means we done time and killed some people in the joint. Wilson done killed four in one day. No one fucked with him after that. Not even the guards. He…"

Wilson glared at his partner and cut in off in mid sentence, "Shut up, Rodney! He don't need to hear our life stories." He looked at Castle with almost sympathy in his eyes. "He's probably not gonna be able to write anymore anyhow."

Castle swallowed back his fear. "So are you going to drown me, shoot me or beat me to death? Beckett, the detective I work with beats me up frequently and threatened to shoot me. So, I guess, it would be better if you drowned me. Or you could come up with something more original." He looked at the two in the back for a moment. "You two are brothers, aren't you? And," He nodded towards the driver, "your dad?"

"We were told not kill you. Just bring you to the man. But he didn't say we couldn't make you bleed. Now shut up." Wilson said quietly. "Shut up before I shut you up."

"Who's the man?" he asked as he turned towards Wilson. Being told to shut up had never worked for his favorite detective or his mother, so why would he actually listen to the hired help. A fist the size of a mallet and with the power of Muhammad Ali put paid to his question. The fist impacted on his left eye and temple, he groaned and fell forward, whispered "Help me, Kate" then a bright light cutoff blazed across his eyes ending all thoughts.

12th Precinct, New York City

Kate Beckett had just returned from lunch and wondered where her shadow was today. It usually didn't matter whether they had a case or not. Castle typically popped in with two cups of Starbuck's coffee and some lame excuse, and then proceeded to watch her do paperwork. She glanced over at Ryan and Esposito. They were both looking at something on the computer and speaking in soft tones. She was about to ask them what they were doing when her phone rang. Castle's picture popped up, smiling brightly, wearing a musketeer's costume complete with rapier. "Damn. He played with my phone again." She suppressed a smile and answered the phone, intending to sound annoyed at him. Before she could even say his name, she heard his voice and her stomach clinched.

She pressed the mute key on her phone and turned on the loud speaker. Esposito and Ryan's head popped up as they heard Castle's voice saying "only thing in this direction is the ocean." A split second later a second voice said "Prison, idiot. Means we done time and killed some people in the joint. Wilson done killed four in one day. No one fucked with him after that. Not even the guards. He…"

Ryan's quickly returned to his computer and began tracing the call. "Shut up, Rodney! He don't need to hear our life stories. He's probably not gonna be able to write anymore anyhow." Ryan and Esposito looked at Beckett, their faces rigid, and then glanced over her shoulder as their captain approached.

They heard Castle ask about the manner of his death and being told that they weren't going to kill him, but were to deliver him to 'the man'. Castle was told to shut up. Beckett closed her eyes for a moment, knowing that Castle only shut up if you shoved something in his mouth or if he was unconscious. The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed in their ears. A mere second later, a groan and then Castle whispering "Help me, Kate."

"Talk to me, Castle. Say something to let me know you are alright." Beckett begged softly, but they only heard the hum of a car engine. All eyes turned towards Ryan. "Do you have him?" Beckett whispered. Her face was calm but her voice urgent.

Ryan looked down at the computer for a moment. "They are traveling northeast, towards Meat Packing District." His face brightened. "Castle's phone is still hot plus he has a GPS on it. We can use that to track him. I'll transfer the trace to my laptop." Ryan said while he punching in numbers into the computer.

Captain Montgomery looked at her and nodded. "I will alert the SWAT team. Get going and keep me posted." He picked up the phone as the detectives charged out of his office.


	2. Chapter 2

Warehouse in the Meat Packing District

About 45 minutes later, they arrived at a warehouse. Castle had regained consciousness a few minutes before. A man with light brown hair and piercing blue eyes greeted him. "How are you today, Mr. Castle?" He asked impersonally, his voice carrying a slight Irish accent.

Castle's mind whirled with thoughts. "Wonderful! I loved your escorts, friendly and informative." He said touching his bruised face. "What is with all the cloak and dagger stuff? If you wanted to give me a new idea for a book, you could have written me or even called. But this scene," he looked around the warehouse with his hand spread, "is rather hackneyed."

He gave the other man a brash grin and relaxed his body, listening for sounds behind him. He noticed four other men plus the three men that had accompanied him surrounding the area and one other standing beside an office door. "Wow. Nine of you. I am really not that dangerous. Don't worry. I am marshmallow. Ask Beckett."

"I care not for your books nor do I fear you." The man eyed him with disdain. "You have my daughter and I want her."

Castle focused on him, noticing a small scar at his right temple and another on the left side of his jaw going from mid ear to chin while he tried to control his words. The man was came to Castle's chin but looked fit and fierce; a Spartan warrior came to mind. "I do not have your daughter." He said firmly, his jaw square and navy blue eyes hot with suppressed emotion. "I do not need your daughter. I have my own."

The man cocked his head slightly and a distant look came into his light blue eyes. Suddenly, they snapped back to Castle's face. "I am called Michael O'Shea. You have what I want – Meredith's daughter. Meredith is now my wife and Alexis is mine, too." He looked hard at Castle. "Meredith has told me that you would not give her custody of her child; that you took her from her, telling her you would tell all about her past indiscretions. I will have my daughter."

Castle swallowed hard and tried not to let the rage coursing through him affect his mind. "You will never get my daughter while I am alive to prevent it. " Castle glared fiercely at Meredith's husband. "I never took Alexis from her mother. Her mother had other interests to pursue and did not want to be a full time mother." He refused to speak poorly regarding Alexis mother. Alexis would never know that her mother wanted to abort her when she learned of the pregnancy and showed no interest in the baby until Alexis turned into a toddler and out of diapers; a doll that she dress up and show off.

O'Shea stepped closer to him. "Surely, you suspected that Alexis might not be yours? Meredith was not one to be faithful. My wife admitted to me that Alexis was my child, conceived in England during a movie she was making."

Castle shrugged, not allowing O'Shea to see how the thought affected him. "If Meredith cannot be faithful, why did you marry her?" Castle took a deep breath to control his pounding heart. The thought of someone taking his child from him made him ill. A thought occurred to him. Alexis was heading to Ireland. He struggled to remain calm. "Where is Meredith? Let her tell me that she want Alexis full time now."

"Meredith will do as she is told, now. With a woman such as her, a strong hand is necessary. Look at Alexis and then look at me, Mr. Castle." He paused allowing the memory of Alexis blend with O'Shea. "American courts act too slow. So, you have a choice. You will sign custody of Alexis over to her mother and I or you shall become one of your mysteries." O'Shea smiled frostily. "You will disappear. Alexis will come to live with her mother and her new husband." He lifted his hand and one of the men opened a door, Meredith tentatively walked out of the office.

Castle thought he had never seen her look so crushed and frightened. He could see faint traces of yellowing bruises on her face and fingerprints on her arms. She walked with a slight limp and was holding her ribs. "Do what he wants, Rick. He'll get her no matter what we do." Meredith whispered. She quickly looked at her husband before looking at the ground again. "Alexis is his, Rick. I am sorry I lied to you."

Castle's anger overcame his reason. He threw himself at the man, intending to leave him crushed and broken, but before he could get a good hold on him he was ripped away by two of the two men he had forgotten about. Fists began to batter his body and face. As he fell to the floor, fists were replaced with kicks.

"Stop." O'Shea said calmly and the men stepped away, leaving a bleeding and bruised Castle on the dirty floor. He squatted down a few feet from Castle. "Now, what is your decision?"

Castle spit blood him and struggled to his feet. "Believe me, my daughter will never be yours. In every way possible, no matter her conception, that child is my daughter." He crossed his arms feeling for the cell phone and feeling his bruised ribs. The phone was very warm, reassuring him that it was still active.

"Very well, Mr. Castle. Easier for me, perhaps but not as pleasant for you. You will disappear. I will have Alexis. I have Meredith. I will have everything. You will have nothing because of your obstinacy."

Castle had to find out if they knew where Alexis was at this moment. They still hadn't figured out that he had called Beckett. He only hoped the connection was still active so she could save his daughter and mother. "So, you think you are just going to the loft and pick her up today?

"

Meredith looked desolate and began crying silently. O'Shea looked triumphant. "She is with your mother to do a film in Ireland. They left this morning. Of course, they will be met at the airport in Belfast when they arrive. " O'Shea looked distressed for a moment. "How sad for your family. Your home was violated. Your blood everywhere, but no body and no odd fingerprints, DNA or fibers. Meredith and I will express our deepest sympathy, but death of her only child, your mother had a heart attack and died. Then Alexis will come to live with her only living relatives." He finished off his narration with his right hand over his heart.

Castle was staggered. The man was totally psychotic. If he died, his baby girl would be in the hands of a fiend as her mother was now. "Sorry. Your plot won't work. First, my apartment is one of the safest in the city. Second, Meredith signed away her parental rights when Alexis was 6 weeks old." He looked at his ex-wife and sighed. "Third, a law enforcement officer would have custody of her should anything happen to me."

Michael O'Shea laughed at him. "Excellent, Mr. Castle, but surely you have heard the old says that possession is 9/10th of the law?" O'Shea peered over Castle's shoulder and said "Now." Castle heard someone behind him but before he could turn, he lost consciousness for the second time that day as he felt a sharp pain on the back of his head.

Beckett was relieved to hear Castle's voice again. They had started running the names that had been tossed over the phone by his conversations with his captors. They still weren't sure who Wilson and Rodney were and definitely nothing on the driver but, Michael O'Shea was a familiar name to all in law enforcement.

He was one of the most wanted men in Europe and the States. He is an arms dealer with absolutely no conscious. He was responsible for indirectly killing hundreds, if not thousands of men, women and children throughout the world. It was believed that he helped supply arms to the Ben Laden. Problem was that the man was Teflon. Nothing would stick to him. Time and time again he walked away from any and all charges.

Esposito was driving with Beckett riding shotgun. Ryan was in the back with his laptop propped up on his knees. When he heard what was planned for Castle's mother and daughter. He looked at Beckett in the rearview mirror and said "I'm on it." He was calling Captain Montgomery to have the police meet Alexis and her grandmother in Belfast.

Esposito looked at Beckett out of the corner of his eye while making a hairpin turn. "You the 'law enforcement officer' that will have his girl if something happens to him?"

Beckett cocked an eyebrow and then frowned deeply at him. "What of it? Nothing is going to happen to Castle …. If you get a move on. Turn left here. Just few more minutes and will be there." Throwing a look at Ryan in the backseat. "Did you let the captain know where to send SWAT?"

"Yep, SWAT is on the way and Belfast Police are being notified as we speak." Ryan replied.

The subject of Alexis' supposed natural father was sitting in the middle of car like pink elephant in a tutu singing Perry Como's song 'Turn around.' By unspoken agreement, they decided that it had nothing to do with them and if Castle wanted to talk about it, later, they would listen as any good friends would do.

"You called him a marshmallow?" Esposito asked grinning.

"And throws him on the floor a lot," added Ryan.

"Think she's tasted this sweet marshmallow on the floor?" Esposito questioned, dodging Beckett's elbow. "Hey, Hey! No hitting the driver!"

"Eyes on the goal, people." Beckett said sternly, hoping against hope they would get there in time.

"We're here," just as the GPS signal died.


	3. Chapter 3

Richard Castle lay naked on a fetid straw filled mattress in a hot room wondering whether it was going to be infection, starvation, dehydration or blood loss that he would cause his death. His body throbbed painfully with every beat of his heart and his stomach had long since given up hope for food or water.

He believed the room he as trapped in was a small basement or cellar about 10' x 10' with dead bolted wooden door. There were 18 steps leading up to that door and freedom. The rest of the room was made of cement. One wall had a hook in it and red discoloration adorned both the wall and the floor. Castle knew most of that red tinge was his blood.

Twice a day for the last three days, O'Shea walked in with water and food, willing to make a trade but the cost was too high. To acquire those items, he had to sign away custody of his daughter and tell him where Alexis was. Apparently, Alexis and her grandmother never arrived in Belfast. He refused to do the first and was unable to do the second. He prayed that Beckett had somehow intercepted them and had them in a safe place.

He had woken here the first day with O'Shea standing over him with his cell phone in hand. It was crushed. Any hope of rescue died a vicious death in that second of understanding. He tossed the broken phone at Castle "You will be punished until you die." He took the custody papers, tore them in half and threw them at Castle. "I will take care of this law enforcement officer, Detective Beckett, too,"

Castle had been grabbed by a couple of his thugs and dragged to a wall that a hook about seven feet up. Handcuffs were locked around his wrists. "Do not kill him yet. Beyond that - do what you will."

Castle was breathing hard, fear tingling down his spine. "Coward!" He yelled at O'Shea. "Do you really believe I would sign over Alexis to a man like you. I would give my life for her! No matter what." He heard a sound of muted rage and laughed. Even he agreed that what he said was beyond brainless. He could see in his mind's eye both daughter and Kate shaking their heads at him.

"Remove his shirt and hand me the whip." O'Shea demanded, fury touching his words like fire. "Very well. You will give your life to her, one drop at a time."

Castle felt a knife sliding through his clothes on his back. Seconds later his soft white skin laid exposed on one side to the cold cement wall and to the other the mercy of a man who had none. He felt a hand stroke his back. "Tell him, Rick, and sign the papers. Please. He will kill you. And me." Meredith begged.

Castle's patience ran out with his ex-wife. He didn't care if she died. She was endangering their child. "I wouldn't tell him the time of day. As long as my daughter is safe from this lunatic, he can whip me or…" Castle paused, not wanting to give the maniac any ideas that tended to grow naturally in his prolific imagination, "kill me and you. Alexis is all that matters."

In less than a minute, Richard Castle's blood was spattering the wall, the man and his ex-wife. Within five minutes he was no longer able to scream and hung limply while his skin was shredded, his mind focused on the women in his life.

12th Precinct, New York City

Beckett laid her tired head on her desk, fleetingly overcome by depression. Her bob cut dark brown hair showed signs of her hands being run through it repeatedly. Her green eyes were bloodshot and the bags under them were packed for a trip around the world. A cup of coffee was pushed under her nose. Starbucks! She sat up quickly, grabbing the cup and hand, following the arm up into Ryan's eyes. Disappointment careened through her. His face as well as Esposito and the captain showed extreme strain. They had failed. They had lost Castle and his family.

Castle was not there when they arrived at the warehouse. It was obvious that they had just left. There was a small pool of fresh blood and hair on the floor which later proved to be Castle's and his jacket. Of course, no one had seen or heard anything. They were no leads to be found, not even a whisper from the streets.

Of course, the New York Times had discovered that 1 bestselling author of the Derek Storm and Nikki Heat series was missing. The mayor and the governor as well as many other influential people were calling for them to do something, but she couldn't manufacture evidence to lead her to him.

The Belfast Police called telling them that Alexis Castle and Martha Rodgers had never arrived in Belfast. Somewhere between LaGuardia Airport and Belfast Airport the two women had fallen off the map and into the ocean. It had been a non-stop flight. Either they never boarded or the police missed them at the other end. According to the flight manifest, they had boarded the plane. They were officially listed as missing.

"Go get some sleep, Detective." Montgomery said rubbing his own blood shot eyes.

Slowly, she got up and looked around the bull pen. The normal noise was absent. Everyone seemed to be in mourning. Her eyes burned from unshed tears as she walked slowly out of the squad room.

Her cell phone rang as she crossed the threshold. "Beckett." She stopped cold, her spine stiffening and spun around, her mouth falling open. They had a lead.


	4. Chapter 4

Meat Packing District, Basement of warehouse 

Castle felt someone shaking him but he refused to open his eyes. To open his eyes meant he had to begin living in pain again. "Wake up, damn it." The shaking became more aggressive. "You want out of here or not?"

Castle's eyes popped open and he looked into the face of Wilson, the man who had initially kidnapped him. A bottle of water was thrust to his split and bleeding lips. He only gave him a taste of it before it was taken away. He wanted to grab it back but to move meant to hurt. He opened his mouth and Wilson poured a little more water down his throat. "I couldn't get in here sooner." Castle stared at him, uncomprehendingly. "I couldn't save you or anyone without …. Well, never mind, not important …." Wilson paused and cocked his head listening. "We have to make this fast. I called your Detective Beckett. She will be here soon."

Castle licked his lips, tasting blood, and mouthed "Alexis." Wilson shook his head. "I don't know." He swallowed hard. "Look, here it is. He killed your wife, ex-wife. Whatever. He told me put her body in with you and lock the door. He's gone. He figured it out. I was supposed to have been killed …" Wilson sighed. "Good luck, man." He charged out the door.

The door had been left open. He rolled off the bed and slammed onto the floor. His eyes fell on to the body of Meredith. He crawled over to her. She was cold. Her throat had been sliced. The blood surrounding her had already congealed. The first time he ever saw her he thought she was gorgeous, but too late realized that her excesses were detrimental and would probably kill him one day. She had almost succeeded. She was the Typhoid Mary of hedonism.

Castle began crawling towards the stairs and open door. He had no idea what he would do when he got there, but freedom was in that direction. Minutes ticked by as he pulled himself upright, then he heard a sound that was music to his ears: police sirens. Seconds later, he heard loud voices, gun fire and pounding feet.

He had made it to the open door by the time the commissary door had exploded from the frame which held it. "Police!" Beckett shouted. He slowly slithered to the kitchen floor to wait for her. What little strength he had deserted him. He heard voices' shouting "clear!" each time a room was found empty. He waited, knowing that liberation was close at hand and closed his eyes.

Esposito saw him first. His olive complexion paling at the sight of Castle . He was sitting on the floor, his right shoulder braced against the door frame, naked and bleeding. A blood trail led up from the stairs. He looked like raw meat, putrid raw meat.

The neat, scrupulously clean man of a week ago did not exist today. "In here! I got him!" He wanted to cover him but the basement had not been cleared yet. He stood over him, guarding, and peered into the semi darkness below. He felt something touch his foot. Castle was looking at him. Esposito tried to smile, but felt his throat closing. Castle's eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped over.

Beckett tore around a corner with her handgun extended. She stopped cold; dropping her hands to stare at the heap on the floor when Ryan and Montgomery skidded around her immobile form. After a moment Beckett approached Castle; she touched face, her hand shaking, and then moved down to his throat to feel his pulse faintly beating. She smiled in relief and looked up into the men's eyes. "He's alive. Call an …." But Esposito had already put in a call for an ambulance.

Ryan looked at Esposito and the blood trail leading downwards. They both stepped towards the door with guns at the ready. Ryan gagged at the smell of the room. His face showing the revulsion plainly on his Irish mug. Esposito saw a woman laying on the floor, clearly dead. "Clear!" Esposito called out after a moment. He went to check the woman, holding his breath, hoping that it was not one of Castle's family. He recognized her. Family but not, Castle's "deep fried twinkie" of an ex-wife and his daughter's mother.

Montgomery came down the stairs. "Oh, my God" he breathed to himself. He had seen many horrible things in his years as a police officer in New York, but this had been done to someone he considered a friend.

Esposito holstered his weapon. "God had no part in this." Turning, he walked back up the stairs to where the living waited.

Beckett slid down to her knees beside the man. She didn't know where to touch him. His entire body seemed to either bleeding, bruised or broken and settled on touching his head that was crisp with dried blood. The smell emanating from him was stomach-churning.

She saw his lips move and her hand was lightly squeezed. She looked to his face and saw his eyes open, resting on her face. "A dream?" he asked, only a breath of a sound. His lips quirked. "Beckett, I am naked. Give me your coat."

"No. Not a dream." She smiled. Her Castle was still in there. He was reminding her of the time that her apartment was blown up and he had knocked down the door to get to her. He had found her naked in the tub. She pulled her small leather jacket off and placed it gingerly over his lap.

"Going to tell me about you knocking down the door to get to me?" Castle asked hoarsely , his right hand reaching for her.

She grasped it and held on. "Later. " She slid down beside him and allowed him to rest his face against her. She cupped his chin. _"I am glad he is back but, he really needs a bath!" _Beckett thought and scooted a little closer.

Getting him into the ambulance was beyond difficult. He could not lie on his stomach or on his back due to the open, festering wounds. Going by the glittering grains on his body, after they were finished beating him, they pour salt on the wounds. Worse yet with him being a writer they tried to destroy one of his hands. They had pulled out each fingernail, and then crushed his hand. He whimpered every time he was moved. Why the right was in mint condition was still a mystery.

They determined it was best to take the chance to sedate him despite is condition. The crew from the 12th Precinct agreed unanimously. Beckett climbed into the ambulance with Castle. He was going nowhere without police escort. Ryan and Esposito looked at Castle and then her. "We'll meet you there," said Ryan softly and slammed the back of the ambulance closed.


	5. Chapter 5

Memorial Hospital, New York

With sirens and lights blazing, the police escorted the ambulance carrying their favorite novelist to the hospital. Various medical personnel attempted to remove Beckett from Castle's side. After looking at her, they let her be and worked around her. The only times she left his side is when he had to go to x-ray and to update the guys in the waiting room.

She walked out to tell the 12th Precinct about Castle's condition. Before she could say a word, she was swarmed by them. She held up a hand. She noticed absently that it was covered in his blood. There was instant silence. "He is in critical condition. He has broken ribs, a skull fracture and his left hand, every bone is broken. He is going to surgery as soon as some specialist gets here from Boston. He is suffering from exposure, starvation and dehydration. He has lacerations over 70% of his body from a whip called a 'cat 'o nine tails." She explained that was a whip with 9 separate lashes tipped with metal to tear the skin. Beckett looked to her team. "Do you have any information about Martha and Alexis? I would like to give his some good news when he wakes up."

Esposito looked at her and took a deep breath. "Nothing yet, but we haven't checked out his house in the Hamptons, yet." Beckett had forgotten about his other home. "Our guys up there are going out to see now."

She started to ask another questions when she was interrupted by a nurse. "Miss … Detective Beckett?" The nurse smiled. "He's awake."

Room 413

Despite hospital policy, Dr. Singh, Castle's doctor, waived the two person limit in his room in the critical care unit. She had seen all four officers approaching the door and figured that for the safety of all to let them have a few minutes with Castle. Dr. Singh later told her friends over coffee with a smile that those people had guns and nothing was going to stop them from seeing their friend. Castle and his friends need to reconnect.

Castle had been cleaned up, an IV started and pain meds were obviously in those fluids. "Hi!" Castle croaked softly. "Did you smuggle me in a steak? They said I can't have solid food for a day or two and I'm starved!"

Beckett strolled over and took his right hand. Montgomery stood beside her with Esposito and Ryan on the left. Montgomery ground his teeth, and started to lay his hand on Castle's leg. He pulled away his hand and cleared his throat. "Just as soon as you are off the juice," he said, waving his hand at the IV, "and out of this joint, we will find the biggest steak in New York and I am not talking about a New York strip steak!" Esposito and Ryan began to chime in with restaurant suggestions and other remarks in attempt to alleviate the sensitive mood of all of them.

Castle grinned and then winced slightly. Beckett smiled at the quips. "Yeah, before you know it, you will be trailing me around again. I give you a week before you are back at the precinct behaving like a 10 year old on a field trip!"

Through inflamed, bruised eyes Castle directed a look at Kate Beckett. "Where are Alexis and my mother?" His jaw tightened when he looked at her. "He has them, doesn't he?"

Beckett squeezed his hand and then interlocked their fingers. "We don't know." She and the team filled him in on what they knew and how they knew it. Before they could question Castle, he needed to go to surgery. As they wheeled him out, he told Beckett to tell his mother when she was found that he loved her. A lot. She remembered that seemed to be their code phrase for dire trouble.

They were all sitting in the waiting room when Beckett slapped her head. "Oooh! Are we stupid or what?"

Ryan looked at her as if she had lost her mind. "You having PTSD over there, Beckett?"

"His phone!" She jumped up elatedly and a nurse hushed her. Lowering her voice, "Check his calls and see if Alexis or Martha called him!"

"We have his phone in evidence. His phone is broken but I bet the SIM card is fine." Ryan took off, heading for the precinct.

By the time Ryan returned, with the SIM card installed in a new phone for Castle, Castle was in recovery. When they questioned him about purchasing the phone, he just shrugged and said that Castle would pay him back.

The phone was a gold mine. They found Alexis and Martha. They were in London. They had checked in to go to Ireland but had found at the last minute the filming was changed to London. The agent bought them new tickets and they were on their way.

Beckett could not tell them everything that had happened over the phone but were told that the London Police would be there momentarily and that her son said to tell his mother that he loved her. Martha went still and glanced at her granddaughter. "How much does he love me?" She asked, her voice quavering. The answer terrified her.

When they opened the door to the London Police, ten minutes later they were packed and ready to go. Alexis knew her dad was in trouble and she was five hours away. She held onto her grandmother and noticed that her effervescent grand dame, the Auntie Mame of her life, had aged 20 years in the last five minutes.


	6. Chapter 6

Memorial Hospital

Castle's head and left hand was swathed in gauze. A splint covered the gauze on his hand. He had over 100 stitches to close the more serious of the wounds. The doctors had to repair a small section of his skull where a fragment was pressing on his brain. He had to be turned every few hours which was tricky for everyone and extremely uncomfortable for him. He was not in great condition but definitely better than he looked when he was found.

Beckett sat by his bed, waiting for him to wake up. He smelled much better now. They had to "hose him down" according to the head nurse before they could even begin surgery. Alexis and Martha would be arriving in a few hours. Martha had call during the flight to check on her "kiddo" and assured her that Alexis was fine. Esposito and Ryan were going to meet them at the airport. O'Shea was still on the loose and Alexis was his target.

"Kate?" She heard her voice called and looked at the sleepy eyed Castle. "What are you doing here?"

She sighed and answered him, again. This was the fourth time he had asked that question in the last two hours. "Watching over you because you were hurt. Alexis and Martha will be here soon." The doctor had told them that he would be confused and disoriented for a few days while he recovered from the mental and physical trauma of the last week plus the surgery.

Confusion showed on his face. "Where are they?" He touched his head and looked at his left hand. "Was I hit by a bus?" A sly grin crossed his ruggedly handsome albeit battered face. "You missed the floor and threw me down the stairs, huh?"

"Don't tempt me." She took his hand from his head and held it. Worry glistened in her eyes. "You will be alright. I … someone will be with you every step of the way."

Tears formed in the corners of his eyes and rolled down the sides of his face. "I am scared and I don't know why."

Grabbing a tissue she dried his face. "Don't worry. It will all make sense soon. Sleep." He closed his eyes and brushed a kiss on his forehead.

Airport

Ryan and Esposito used their badges to push their way though, ensuring that they would be at the gate when Castle's girls stepped off that plane. They set quietly while waiting for the plane to land.

"Do you think he cares?" Ryan asked softly.

"Cares? Who cares?" Esposito questioned looking at his partner. "About what?"

"Castle. Cares that he might not be Alexis' dad?" Ryan looked at his fingers.

"You've seen those two together, bro. It would take death to …" Esposito swallowed hard and rubbed his tired eyes, "ya know.. Nah, he doesn't care."

"Think she knows that he might not be her dad?" Ryan looked at the window at the taxiing plane.

Esposito was getting angry at his partner. Castle had almost died for his daughter and might still. Where were these questions coming from? "Bro, I don't know what she knows. And it's not my business. My business is to take Castle's _daughter _to her _father._ They are family – no matter what."

Ryan's voice was drowned out by the overhead speakers announcing the flight they had been waiting for. They stood and faced the door. "Don't say nothing to them. Or if I don't hurt you, betcha Castle will soon as he's upright."

"I wouldn't do that," Ryan protested.

"Don't even think it," Esposito shot back.

A few minutes later, Martha Rodgers and Alexis Castle, hurried out the door. Alexis was paler than usual and her grandmother was holding tight to her hand. "Let's go. We can get our luggage later." Martha said pulling on Ryan's arm.

Memorial Hospital

Castle opened his eyes or at least one eye as the other was still swollen shut. His mind a bit clearer this time and he was able to focus. Alexis face was lying on the pillow beside his and her wide blue eyes had dark circles under them staring at him. "Daddy?" She asked, popping up to sitting position.

"Who else would you be staring at like that, Sweetie?" Castle did his best not grimace when he smiled. When she was a toddler, she would sneak into his room, lay down with her head next to his and wait for him to wake up. He began coughing, trying to sit up more but his ribs felt like they were cutting him in half. Tears began to run down his face.

"Are you in pain? Should I get a nurse? A doctor? " Alexis was terrified. She had never seen her jovial, devoted, and best friend, her go-to guy of a father like this. She remembered him breaking his arm roller skating, he joked with her and the doctor the entire time they were setting and casting his arm.

A strong arm helped him sit up. "He's fine. Just had to cough and that really hurts with busted ribs." Esposito told Alexis. He picked up a glass of water and a straw for Castle to take a sip.

Castle thought the water tasted of ambrosia. He nodded his thanks and was gently back laid down on his bed. "Where is Grams?" He asked Alexis when he could talk.

"Beckett is talking to her. What happened, Dad?" Her troubled face came closer to him. "Who kidnapped you?"

Castle had not thought of what to tell her yet nor how to tell her. He had to tell her about her mother and Michael O'Shea was still on the loose. Granted, O'Shea could not legally take Alexis now, but he knew the man was not concerned about the finer points of the law. He had never done this before to his girl, honest questions deserved honest answers but, he needed to talk to Beckett and his mother before anything else was said.

"Do you mind if we talk later? I am really tired." He looked at his beautiful daughter who looked so tired and worried. "Why don't you go home and get some rest. We will talk later, ok?" He closed his eyes, intending to pretend to sleep, but there is a large fissure between intent and fact. Moments later, he was light snoring.

Alexis turned her eyes towards Esposito. She had many questions and needed answers. Determined to get those answers, she walked around her father's bed towards the Latino detective. Esposito took a few steps away from her before stopping and folding his arms. He wasn't afraid of Castle's girl. She was just a little thing. He swallowed. She had the look of Beckett in her eyes. She wanted something and she wanted it now.

He raised his eyebrow at her. She stopped, crossed her arms, and began tapping her foot. "Ok. What happened to my dad?" She demanded softly. "Who did this and why?"

Esposito opened his mouth just as Beckett and Martha came through the door. "Ask Beckett." He said as he scooted around her and out the door.

Beckett looked at Castle then at his daughter. Granted, there was not a strong physical resemblance, but she recognized the look on Alexis' face. She had seen it many times on Castle's – attitude plus. Even if the nature was missing, the nurture was there. Castle had told her that he had named Alexis for himself. She didn't understand until she found out that his middle name had been Alexander before he changed it to Edgar.

Martha stood beside her son's bed, her hand laying gentle on his bandaged head. "When he was a baby, his hair was so blonde and curly. He always had such a warm smile. He could charm the birds from the trees and candy from the owners of that awful five and dime around the corner from our apartment." Martha looked up at Beckett. "And when he loves, he loves with all that is within him, no half measures." Martha turned miserable eyes to her granddaughter. "Alexis, my darling, we must talk."


	7. Chapter 7

Alexis could not believe it. Her mother was dead and her father severely injured all while she was visiting Oxford University, the theaters and enjoying all that London had to offer. She felt cold inside. She missed her dad's hugs. She wrapped her arms around her body tightly and watched her dad sleep. Her mother dying was sad. No, not dying. Murdered by her step-father, one that she had not met yet. She realized when she was a small child that her mother only wanted her around to show off. She was like a real live talking doll and when Meredith got tired of playing with her doll, she left again. She might not hear from her mother for months on end.

As sad that her mother was dead, it would have been catastrophic had it been her father. He was her world. She knew that he had only married Gina to give her a mother, someone to talk to about female things; someone that seemed more responsible than him. She didn't need Gina and Gina knew it. They eventually worked out a friendly relationship. People always seemed to underestimate her dad, even himself.

She smiled as she looked at her dad. He never lost that childhood fascination of the world. He found joy and excitement everywhere. He had been her favorite playmate as a child, her confidante and best friend. Everything he had done was for her. She had never doubted for one instant that he loved her "more than my next breath or the sun in the sky" as he liked to tell her when she was small and getting ready for bed.

"Alexis" she heard her father call to her softly. She uncoiled herself from the chair to see if he was ok. He was still sleeping. "No, … isn't yours. Mine! I raised … I ….." the words ran out as he settled back down again. Alexis wondered at his words. He hadn't seemed himself since before she left with her grandmother.

Beckett and Martha were getting coffee from the machine. Beckett grimaced at the taste. Castle had spoiled her with Starbucks and the coffee machine in the squad room. Suddenly, she looked at Martha. "Do you have Gina's phone number? We really should call her."

Martha looked at her for moment. It was the same look Castle had when he was working out a theory. "Why? He isn't working on a book at this moment." Her eyes widen and humor laced her voice. "You thought my kiddo and that piranha were back together?" She laughed and waved her hand. "That was because he thinks that he can't have what he wants, he took what he could get. And that lasted a few weeks until he remembered why they were divorced."

Beckett looked at Martha confused. "What did he want?"

Martha sipped her coffee and made a face. "Nasty stuff." She looked at Beckett, shaking her head. Children now days were so ….. slow. "Whom did he invite to the beach house first? Certainly not her."

Beckett remember him asking her and showing her pictures of his house. "He really wanted me to go? Then what's up with Gina showing up the day he left at the precinct?"

Martha took an annoyed breath and pinned Kate with a look. "Weren't you kissing some detective just the day before in the hallway? Going away with him for the same weekend Richard invited you to accompany him? He didn't think he had chance with you." She looked at Kate as if deciding something. "You really should give him a chance. He cares about you. None of the divorces were his fault. Are you a snob? His wealth bothers you? Do you think you are not good enough or too good for my son?"

That set Beckett back on her heals. "That has nothing to do with it. He's a playboy." She became still for a moment, thinking. "His divorces did bother me. And his money. He makes more on one book than I have earned my entire working life." She looked up at Martha. "I can't see why he'd want to be with me with all the gorgeous women making eyes at him."

Martha gave a smug little smile. "Come now. Don't be so modest. Besides my son can and does look beyond the package. Do you honestly believe Richard is a playboy? You have met my granddaughter, haven't you? Do you believe she could have turned out so well if he was a playboy? She has never had a nanny or a babysitter, except for me. That child is his heart and soul. He never went anywhere without her. Don't believe what those trashy grocery store tabloids write. It is yellow journalism at its worst."

Martha laughed and held up a finger. She pulled a newspaper of her purse and handed it to Beckett. "Thank you for rescuing him from aliens, Kate." Kate looked down at the headlines 'Richard Castle Captured by Aliens!" Her face became unyielding, all laughter gone. "Maybe they weren't aliens, but they certainly were monsters!"

Castle awoke the next morning, feeling somewhat more himself. His headache had dulled to only one bass drum and as long as he did move his body stayed reasonably at peace with his nerves. He saw Alexis curled into an uncomfortable hospital chair. Her legs were pulled up against her chest with her arms wrapped around her legs and her head on her knees. He watched her breathing as he had done when he was a young father, fearing that his lack of experience with children would kill her.

He heard another sigh on the other side of him. Cautiously, he turned his head, hoping that the drum would not go forth and multiply. He decided that it would have been worth it because Beckett was in almost the position as Alexis. Her long legs were pulled in the chair but were lying against the side of the chair. Her arms were opposite her legs, stretched out towards him with her face looking directly at him … as were her open green eyes. "Hi!" His voice was raspy and he was trying not to cough again.

"Morning. How are you feeling?" She said softly, rising to her feet. She reached out to touch him, thought better of it now that he was awake and fixed the blanket and pillow instead.

"Better. May I please, pretty please, with sugar and a cherry on top, have something to eat?" His blue eyes were regaining his special sparkle. Suddenly, he became serious. "I need to talk to you and Mother." He looked at the sleeping girl. "Without Alexis, but she needs a guard."

Beckett nodded her head. "I know. First, I'll see if you are allowed something without a needle. Then I will have someone take her home and stay with her."

"Can I have Esposito?" murmured Alexis, uncurling herself from her chair and pushing her hair away from her face.

Alexis' sudden awakening startled both adults. Castle wondered how much she had heard. "Dad, you need to talk to Detective Beckett about what happened. And …" she laid her hand on his cheek, "you don't want me to hear the graphic details." She frowned, coming closer to him, she kissed his forehead. "As much as I love you, I can see what they did. I don't need or want to hear about it."

Esposito had no problem taking Alexis home and staying with her until relieved by a uniform. Alexis liked Esposito, a lot. She knew that he knew she had a small crush on him and intended to use that to get some answers. Alexis grinned to herself. She couldn't decided who she was more a like at this moment – her mom or her dad. Both were great at conniving. She looked at Beckett and decided she was like her mom in this. Her dad had yet to figure out how to get Beckett.


	8. Chapter 8

Esposito claimed Alexis, promising her breakfast at the local diner. Esposito knew that the youngest Castle had a bit a crush on him, so he figured he would use that to deflect her from any questions that she didn't need know.

"I'll be back later this afternoon, Dad." Alexis told as she gathered up her books and laptop.

Castle looked at his daughter and saw the bags under eyes, abnormally pale face, and the strain of the past few days. "Sweetie, how about you come see me tomorrow. Take today. Do girl stuff. Call your friends and let them know you're back." He saw a frown darkening her face. "You need to rest and I can't if I know that you sleeping in that chair over there. Do it for me?" He gave her the same begging look that she would throw at him. "Please."

Alexis gave in, a little pout forming on her lips, which told Castle just how beyond her endurance, tired his daughter actually was. She huffed. "Ok, but call me at least twice. I'd call you but I don't want to wake you up if you are sleeping." She gently hugged her father and kissed his cheek. "Dad, you have to brush your teeth." She waved her hand in front of her nose and gave him an insouciant grin.

Esposito leaned over the bed, winked and held out his bunched fingers, towards Castle's good hand. They bumped fingers. "I got it, Bro. Don't worry." He gently patted Castle's shoulder and walked out the door with the light of his life.

Before they could talk, it was time for morning medical care and rounds. Castle's nurse chased them all out so she could do the personal items required for a person confined to bed. Castle took one look at his nurse and reached for Beckett. Beckett leaned over and whispered in his ear. "What's the matter, Castle? Not female enough for you? I am sure you'll charm her in no time at all." With that Beckett, Martha and Ryan left the room, though Ryan shot him a look of sympathy.

The nurse faintly resembled a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys. She was tall, heavily built, and, Castle could have sworn, had a light beard growing. Her voice was deep but not unpleasant. "Mr. Castle, time to clean you up and then Doctor will be in to examine you." She twinkled at him. "I love your books. I never miss one." With that said she gently through the sheet back to remove the catheter. Castle's exposed skin took on a rosy hue and he groaned.

Outside his room, the trio impatiently waited for the nurse to finish with Castle. Ryan took a quick peek, but pulled back. "Ouch" he muttered, before turning took look at his boss and the mother of the man that had become a good friend. Ryan liked and admired Castle, but never more so than now. He had withstood something that could have broken a lesser man into many pieces, both figuratively and literally.

Esposito, who had been in combat during the gulf war, warned him to watch their boy right now. They both knew that Castle would see a psychologist because everyone would insist on it, but he would blow the guy off in the end. Though the doctor would never know he was being blown off due to Castle's great imagination and is ability to change subject without you realizing it.

"I will see what the doctor says, Rick, but I am sure that you will be allowed something for breakfast today." She said as she walked out. "You may go in now, but the doctor will be here soon" and continued down the hall.

"Wow"

"That's my kiddo!"

"He did charm her!"

Castle looked at the astounded faces that surround his bed. "What?" Realizing what was causing the reactions for the people in the room. He grinned, like a proud little boy. "Hey, she likes my books. I told her I would sign one for her. She was nice. Looks can be deceiving."

Beckett made a disgusted sound and shook her head. "The doctor and your breakfast are apparently on the way. You let him do his work and eat your breakfast. We'll be back in an hour or so." She suggested as the nurse walked in with his breakfast.

Castle's eyes lit up. He looked at the covered way much like he used to look at gorgeous women. "Come to papa." He muttered as Trisha, his nurse, set it down in front of him. Castle's stomach growled and his mouth watered. Trisha whipped the top of the plate. Castle's jaw dropped and thought he was going to cry. On his plate was jello, green jello and on the tray, a drink of some kind.

"Doctor said you could have something light and a protein shake." She saw his distress and patted his arm. "When the NG tube," she waved her hand at the tubes going in his nose to his stomach that was currently providing him with nutrition, "are removed you may have something more substantial. We must see if you are going to keep it down." She left before he could find the words to express his unhappiness.

"Maybe you should have signed something else, Castle." Beckett said, her eyes sparkling. "Her …. chest perhaps?" Castle ignored the snickering coming from them. He picked up the protein shake and smelled it. Chocolate. Ok. He could do this. He liked chocolate. He tipped the glass to his lips and swallowed or tried to swallow. He wanted to gag. After several seconds, it slid down his throat. He wasn't sure if he wanted it to stay in his stomach. He put the glass on the tray.

"We will see you in about an hour. We are going to have breakfast. Eggs, toast, bacon and maybe pancakes." Beckett said, grinning and left the room.

His mother gave him "the look" and told him to eat his breakfast before she left. He quickly grabbed Ryan. "If you ever want to go to another party with me, you will bring me food. Got it?" Castle was desperate. The hospital was going to finish job O'Shea had started.

Ryan nodded and grabbed the green jello. Without saying a word, he ate it and grabbed the protein shake, dumping it in to the toilet. "I am probably going make you sicker, but we're buds, right?"

When Ryan joined the women in the hall, Beckett asked him what took so long. "Toilet, if you must know." He passed them grinning. Off to Remy's for a hamburger. He would have to be here and back before the ladies returned.

"Oh, Ryan." Beckett gave him her patented 'I am the boss' look. "No food for Castle. Not until the doctor says so."

"You got it. No food." Ryan agreed. Milkshakes weren't food and had lots of calories and calcium. His buddy really needed the calories and other stuff.

**I would like to thank all you who have been so generous and kind with your words and praise. Fluffy is almost over. So hang tight, a few of more chapters and the end will appear.**

**Any mistakes are mine and mine alone. I need to proo fread more carefully, I know. I will try real hard in the future.**

**ABC and lawyers: I don't own these characters. They belong to you (sigh..). I am just having play date with them. I will return them to you slightly used and battered, but no real harm done. I am not receiving any financial gain for this, however if you are so inclined and would like to use my ideas, I would not be adverse to some palm grease.**


	9. Chapter 9

Ryan raced into Castle room, holding the ice cold chocolate milkshake. He had made it back in 25 minutes. Beckett was standing beside the injured man's bed, holding a cup with a straw to Castle's lips. The cup was from a fast food joint around the corner. Beckett looked at the cup and then Ryan. "I thought I said no food." Castle swallowed and sighed happily.

"But, it's a milkshake. Not food." Ryan tossed his hand towards the cup in Beckett's, "What's that? The hospital didn't have any cups for his protein shake?"

Beckett smiled complacently. "I asked the doctor. You didn't."

Castle raised his hand, both heads swiveled towards him. "No problem. The doctor saw no issue with milkshakes. I can drink both." He reached out for Ryan's offering, wiggling his fingers. "Gimme."

Dr. Singh strolled through the door, looking at a chart. "Well, Mr. Castle, how are you feeling today?" She looked up. Her dark brown eyebrows climbed towards her hairline. She looked first to Beckett then to Ryan. "Mr. Castle, you must like milkshakes. You really should only have one at a time; too much of a good thing may have unintended results."

Castle looked mutinous for a moment. "I'll just sip them. Slowly." He flashed his best smile at the doctor.

"I am quite sure that smile works usually, but I doubt that you have seen your face." Singh cleared her throat as did Beckett.

His smile fell and he looked suspiciously at the two women. He put the drinks down on the bedside table. "How bad is it, Kate?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her then grimaced at the pain it caused. "My ruggedly handsome looks are a thing of the past, aren't they?"

His mother swept in with a container in hand. "Nonsense, my darling. You are what you believe." She eyed him judiciously. "A bit more rugged than handsome, but your looks improved once and I am sure it will again." She glanced about the room, addressing everyone. "He were an extremely ugly infant." She shrugged. "If all else fails, you can afford the best plastic surgeon." She handed him the container she held.

Castle was beginning to looking alarmed. Was his face that awful? "Give me a mirror." He demanded, touch his face and nose.

"No. Vanity, thy name is Castle." Beckett raised her eyebrow at him.

The doctor intercepted the container being offered by his mother. "He has more than enough milkshakes, ma'am."

"I did not bring him a milkshake." She looked at the young doctor and smiled. "It's coffee. He can't live without it, you know." She began to smile then it wilted, a haunted look entering her eyes. "He loves coffee. Ask anyone." Beckett and Ryan nodded in agreement.

Dr. Singh put the container down with the other two. "Alright. Let's get you unwrapped, Mr. Castle. I think we can remove the NG tube today." She pinched off the tubes feeding him and handed him some tissues. "This going to uncomfortable and your nose will bleed. It will be over in just a moment."

Castle tried to stay relaxed but not only did it hurt, it tickled. His eyes watered and he felt like he was going to sneeze. Finally it was over. The tube was gone. "Can I have my shake now?" He asked feeling like he deserved something for the pain she was putting him through while holding a tissue to his bleeding nostril.

"In a little while. I am sure that you will soon regain the weight you lost. I am going to leave in the IV tubes for a few more days. That is what is giving you those wonder drugs." She consulted her chart, her face serious. "I am going to remove the bandages from your head as well as your hand. I will need to look at the other injuries then a nurse will come in to redress the ones that need it."

She examined his head and found the sutures intact and healing well. She decided that no bandage was necessary for it, but told him to keep it dry and clean for at least a week. "Sorry, no shower, but you can have a bath soon."

The doctor shook her head at his hand. "As soon as the swelling goes down, we are going to put you into a cast. A soft splint is fine for minor fractures, but yours are anything but minor. You are looking at a long road. Physical therapy is going to be needed for your hand." She applied ointment, gauze and splinted his hand.

She moved to pull down the sheet at the same time Castle grabbed it to keep her from doing it. "May Mr. Castle have some privacy. Apparently being abducted by aliens did not remove his modesty." She tapped the tabloid that Martha had given Beckett that was lying on Castle bedside table. Grinning, everyone left the room.

The doctor checked his eyes, looked in his nose and throat. "Now comes the hard part. After I check your front, you are going to have to turn you onto your side. Your right side is severely bruised, but no ribs are cracked or broken, so we are going to roll you in that direction. I would prefer that you didn't do it by yourself. I would like to get some help to turn you." She looked sympathetically at him. "Would you like a nurse or one of your friends?"

Castle closed his eyes and tried to breathe deeply. It hurt, it hurt badly. "Ryan, please." He did not want Kate Beckett or his mother to see him like this. Ryan was bad enough.

She quickly finished examining his front and decided to take pity on him and do the dressings herself. "Just a few steri-strips here and there." She covered him with a sheet and called for Ryan. "We need your help turning him on his side."

"Sure. I'm game." The last thing Ryan wanted to do was to harm Castle but he knew from the doctor's face that no matter how they did this, Castle was going to curse.

She began by pulling the sheet down. Ryan pinned his eyes on Castle's, not wanting to embarrass either of them. "Mr. Castle, I'm going to help turn you by taking your left arm and gently pulling it towards me. Mr. Ryan is going to put his hand on your left shoulder and hip and roll you towards me." Singh pulled gently, stopping only to adjust Castle's legs to facilitate the turn. "That wasn't so …" Her words stopped as she looked at her patient. She took a tissue and dried his face. He may not have said a word or uttered a sound, but the anguish was written boldly on his features.

Ryan looked up at the doctor as she came around to his side. With a sad smile she removed the bandage that went from shoulder to buttocks and said "Nerve block" in answer to his unspoken question as to why her patient was not screaming in agony and started cleaning his back, buttocks and thighs. His mother may have been joking about the plastic surgeon, but if she saw this…. Ryan stared at his back. He could not understand why and how Castle had held out with this kind of destruction when all he had to do was sign a piece of paper.

Ryan looked at Castle. For the first time, he didn't see the writer, the supposed playboy, the goof-ball or a damn good friend, but saw the man; A man who had walked through the fires of hell for a child that might not be his.

Ryan's father always made sure he knew that he wasn't really a Ryan. He didn't resemble is older sister or younger brother. They were both dark, brown hair and eyes like their dad. He always thought he was more like his mother. Until the day of his mother's funeral when his father pointed out a man during the funeral service and said "That is your father. Your mother was a whore; screwed around on me. He doesn't want you either." That had been 11 years ago. He talked to his brother and sister, but never the man he had called "Dad" for almost 20 years. Ryan tried to contact his supposed natural parent, but his letters were returned and phone calls never returned. He decided it didn't matter. He didn't need a father at this late date anyway.

The doctor made Castle comfortable, adding a little something more for pain to his IV line. Smiling, she picked up the coffee and handed it to him. "Mother's milk?"

Castle reached out to grasp the cup. "My mother's milk is a gin and tonic." Seeing his hand still shaking more than she would have liked, she helped him take a swallow. "Ahh. Rick's milk is more like it."

"I'll see you later. Drink your coffee and have a milkshake. I am afraid it is going to be a soft diet for a while." She shook her finger at him as she pulled the door open. "No hamburgers, hot dogs, or other junk food."

Beckett, Martha and Ryan crowded around his bed. Castle was feeling a little lightheaded from the drugs and the medical care he had just received, but they needed to talk. He had to tell them, so everyone could be protected.

He told then what they didn't know. What it was that happened after the phone was broken, about the whippings, about the threats against Martha and Beckett, killed Meredith and how this lunatic wanted Alexis. Beckett and Ryan had heard most of it and had seen the rest. Martha had only known that Richard had been kidnapped and tortured for some unknown reason.

Martha sat abruptly in a chair, her thoughts in turmoil. She felt profound pride in her son and the deep love that they did not express to each other. She looked at her son, everything clicking into place. "My darling, I have almost always been proud of you. You have had your moments, but you have grown into a fine man that is much more than I had ever thought I could produce." She touched his bruised face lightly. "Of course, Alexis is yours. She is my granddaughter, no matter how she came to be and she will remain so no matter what." Her face became haughty, her Connecticut highbrow accent and years of private schooling echoing in the room. "Though I doubt the validity of Meredith's assertions, are you going have the doctors perform DNA tests?"

All faces turned towards him. "Only if Alexis wants to be tested. I have to tell her, but how?" The pain Castle was feeling no was emotional instead of physical.

"Did you ever think that she was not yours?" Ryan asked, curiosity lacing his voice.

"She has always been my child, but I knew there was a possibility biologically." Castle sighed, his brow creased in thought. "O'Shea was correct in that there was a problem with Meredith. She could not be faithful; it was unattainable for her. I caught her a few times. She begged me to forgive her. I couldn't just throw her out. She needed help. When she wanted to kill abort the baby, Alexis, I knew I couldn't do it anymore. Divorcing her was freedom for both of us, all of us. You can't help someone change that doesn't want it."

Martha pondered while listening to son. That person, the one who had hurt her boy and was trying to take her precious granddaughter from her, needed to be destroyed as one would a diseased animal. This O'Shea character was correct in one regard: the American courts did work too slow.


	10. Chapter 10

Esposito pulled into the Castle's underground parking area under the loft where Alexis and her family resided. Apparently, Castle owned the entire building. There were 7 apartments in the building, each apartment comprising one floor. There was an electronic security gate that required a badge to be used in the card reader to operate the metal door for it to rise. A security guard greeted Alexis and Esposito. The guard was a retired beat cop, Esposito nodded at him.

Javier Esposito was not a man to envy another generally, but looking at the automobiles Alexis said belonged to her father, made him suffer one of the 7 deadly sins. A discreet light blue 2008 BMW to a 1971 Red Corvette Stingray to a black 1930 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante and an old, battered Jeep of indeterminate color and sat in the large room. There were more vehicles in the area but Alexis said those belonged to the other tenants in the building. Casting a covetous eye at the Bugatti he followed Alexis to the elevator that only went up one level to the lobby of the building. A camera was aimed at him in the elevator and followed his every move. The elevator only went as far as the lobby.

They entered the lobby of the building and Esposito saw several people sitting reading in the chairs and sofas in the room. Most of them he recognized as being off duty cops moonlighting for extra cash or retired ones. He looked at the others he did not recognize and was willing to bet that there was some serious muscle here. Observing the room, he saw several cameras hidden in the corners of the room.

Alexis approached the desk where a man of middle years with thinning blonde hair and a waxed moustache greeted her. "Good Morning, Alexis. How is your father today?" His glasses reflected the light in the room but the concern in his voice was genuine. "We were quite concerned."

Alexis shot the man a small smile. "He is doing better, Mr. Stepas." She started to say more but her throat clogged with emotion. She ducked her down and took a deep breath.

Esposito stepped up to the thin man and held out his badge. "Detective Javier Esposito, NYPD." He placed his arm around Alexis' small shoulders, pulling her into his side.

Mr. Stepas took in the badge and the man in studied silence. "Should we be concerned, Detective, for Mr. Castle?" He looked at the young girl and nodded at the people who were watching them.

Esposito considered his words carefully. "Not concerned, but cautious." His eyes flicked to Alexis and back to Mr. Stepas.

"I understand." The small man said then looked over Esposito's shoulder to the room at large. "You are on the list, Detective." He gave a sympathetic look at Alexis. "Here is your mail. Let me know if I .. we can do anything for you."

Esposito looked over his shoulder at the people who had gathered a few feet from them; one of the men seemed to be staring at Alexis. Esposito stared back. The man dropped his eyes and moved back into the crowd. "Come on, Detective." She pulled his hand towards the elevator.

As they entered the elevator, Esposito asked about the list. Her answer made him wonder about Castle's buoyant facade. The list that Mr. Stepas possessed was provided to him by Castle and the other tenants. It was a list of names and pictures of people allowed beyond the lobby. Every member of the security team familiarized themselves with the authorized people. Those that were not on the list were required to be escorted by the tenant. There was one elevator for each floor. None of them were interconnected, though there were stairs that went to all floors to cover the fire safety requirements. They were locked going up but not coming down. An electronic reader for a badge was beside the stairwell door.

Esposito speculated that maybe Castle was a little paranoid then he remembered an old saying "Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't after you." After all, Castle was in the hospital in guarded condition, but his security measures didn't help when you don't have them with you.

Alexis placed her security card into the card reader in the elevator, the doors closed silently. A few moments later, they arrived at the top floor, the penthouse. Alexis opened the front door with a common house key. Esposito had to grin from the change from high tech to the usual.

Castle's home was a combination of a playhouse for children and home that was a home. There was nothing cold or artificial about his house like many of the wealthy people's homes he had been in as a beat cop and a detective. The home was a warm and welcoming and Castle himself.

"Do you want a drink?" Alexis inquired. Esposito's eyes widened. She smiled and gave a little laugh. "I meant coffee or a soda."

"Thanks. A cola would be great." Esposito sat down at the breakfast bar while Alexis poured their drinks. She reminded him of his sisters. At this age, they were figuring out how to use what had suddenly developed. They were neither child nor woman but an interesting combination of the both.

"So, now that you are babysitting me, do I call you Detective, Esposito or do you have a first name?" She asked, smiling winsomely at the handsome man. She placed his drink on a coaster and handed it to him.

Esposito tried not to grin. The games had begun. "My nephews call me Tio Javier. My friends and … well, they call me Javi." Her attempt at flirting was reminiscent of his sister's attempted teenage seduction of his partner, Kevin Ryan. Angela was determined to have him. Ryan was determined to run. A quiet word to his parents and sharp word from him brought Angela back to the charming teenager from the femme fatale she was exploring.

She sat down in the chair next to him and placed a tiny, warm hand on his arm. Her boyfriend, Ashley, was cute and sweet, but a boy. She knew that that this man wouldn't touch her with 10 foot pole, but he would keep her safe from the monsters that currently inhabited her world, a world she wanted to expand and was female enough to know that Javi was all man. Her mom told her that all men can be influenced by a woman if the woman used the right tools. She knew something was going on and that he was in the loop. She needed to know what that secret was that caused her normally open dad and Gram to not tell her.

"I like Javi." She sent him a flirtatious smile, looking down then up with her eyes.

"Good, Ok." Esposito pulled away from her and stood up. "I need to look at your place. Where is the security system?"

She showed him her dad's office to the security system behind a mirror. As Esposito looked at it, Alexis saw the light blinking on the answering machine. Since everyone in the house used cell phones, this number was only given out to those people and businesses that her dad didn't want to answer right away or have any close contact. She wondered who had called. She pressed the answer key.

The digital voice announced the date and time as being three days before her dad was kidnapped. The voice leaving the message was pleasing but the message caused Alexis heart to catch:

'Mr. _Castle, I am Michael O'Shea, Meredith's husband. Meredith and I have sent you the paperwork for custody of Alexis. We want her with us. Just sign it and be done with it. I have neither the time nor the inclination to fight this out in court. I wil have my daughter. Meredith admitted to me she lied to you regarding Alexis' paternity. I have punshed my wife for lying all these years to both us. If you do not chose to hand Alexis over, I will ensure that you suffer greatly for it._

Alexis' legs gave out, she fell into her dad's chair. Her head was whirling with confusion. She looked at the tight face of Javi. "What did he mean?" Her voice was hoarse and thick. "Do you know? What is he talking about?" She knew she was screaming at him but couldn't control herself. She looked at her shaking hands. She knew her life had changed and the answers she sought were not going to be ones she liked.

Esposito approached her cautiously. He held out his arms, a place of shelter for the young girl. For a moment he thought she would throw something at him, then slammed herself to his chest, wrapping her arms tightly around him. He gently held her while she cried.

Esposito walked her out to the sofa, helping her sit down. "Let me call Beckett and then you and I will talk." Using the cuff of his shirt, he mopped the tears away and he had many time for his sisters. He really needed to talk to Castle and Beckett.


	11. Chapter 11

"Beckett." She was in the cafeteria of the hospital with Martha getting some much needed nourishment. As she listened to Esposito, she closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. Castle was asleep. She was not going to wake him. He was improving but much rest was required. He had convinced her to go to his place rather than her apartment. She was not doing this for her safety but for Martha and Alexis. Castle said he didn't care why she did it as long as she did. She could tell that he was at the end of his rope and the knot was fraying.

As soon as the uniforms arrived she would climb into his California king bed after using the Jacuzzi in his room then get some much needed rest. He assured her with a wink that it was a virgin bed, bought after Gina left. He said it was a lonely bed. Yeah, Castle was on the mend.

"Tell her what you can, but be kind. I will be over there as soon as possible." She listened for a moment more. "Javi, she is a little girl who adores her father and she is going to think this is going to change them. She is confused, hurt and feeling like she had been lied to. Be careful. Little girls have claws and women grow poisonous fangs when they feel deceived. She is going to want to punish someone."

She hung up and looked at Martha with sad eyes. "She knows."

Esposito held the angry, frightened, confused woman child in his arms as she cried. He told her what he knew. He could not downplay the condition of her father. He knew from his sisters and Beckett's warning that he was also holding a little red tiger ready to rip him to shreds because he was the only one available. He squeezed her tighter, rubbing the back of her head.

Suddenly, she pushed away from him and stood. Her hands pawed away the tears streaking her face. "Why didn't he tell me?" She demanded. She began to pace her father's study. She picked examined pictures of father and daughter from birth to the one taken just last Halloween. She tossed the one of Castle holding her tight to his chest as a newborn infant, him in scrubs kissing her head and wrapped in a pink blanket to Esposito.

"You're lying! Richard Castle is not my father. He just got stuck with me! He lied to me!" She continued in this vein for several minutes; blaming the man who had raised and loved her for 16 years for seemingly everything wrong in her life and the world. She threw pictures at the wall and wiping Castle's desk with her arm.

Esposito held the picture and let her rant. He was uncomfortable and wished anyone else was her to deal with this. Like Castle or her Grandmother, maybe Beckett. No, Beckett would have nailed the little brat to the wall by now. What would he do if this was one of his sisters? "Are you listening to me?" She screamed at him. She tried to pluck the pictures from his hand. He grabbed her by her wrist and put the picture on the table. She seemed to have accepted what he told her for a few minutes then went into a rage of temper. Believing a psycho over him or years of living with her father.

He made her sit. It was big brother time. "Sit down. I have had enough of you acting the spoiled princess." He frowned at her though he could understand most of the feelings coursing through her. "Yes, your life sucks at this moment. On your birth certificate is his name. He put it there. There's no guarantee for life being fair printed on that birth certificate."

Alexis started to stand up again. Esposito pushed her back down. "He's not my dad. He's not. My mother fooled him. She only ever thinks of herself." She remembered that her mother was dead. "Only thought of herself."

"What did your father," his hand went up when she opened her mouth again, "your father, do that was so bad?" He threw her a box of tissue from the side table. "Let's see. He cosseted you, protected you, loved you, and kept you safe at the cost of the skin on his back." He crossed his arms and leveled her with a look. "Did you ever think for a moment that you weren't his daughter?"

She was ripping the tissue to shreds, staring at her hands as if they weren't hers. "What makes a father, Alexis? Is it that he screwed your mother?" He knew that he was being crude, but he had to make her understand before she began ranting at Castle who so did not need it or deserve it. "Or is it that he is the one who has seen that you have had every need and want fulfilled?" Esposito took a deep breath. "Has he ever treated you as anything but his adored, pampered daughter? How can you slander him like this? Doesn't he deserve more than that from you?"

Alexis' washed out blue eyes locked with Esposito's espresso colored ones. "You're right, but.."

Esposito sat beside her. "No buts. Don't make excuses. Excuses are what pathetic, lame people use to justify their actions. You are not pathetic or lame. You are Castle's daughter. Now act like it." He cuffed her on the shoulder. "Besides you have only some psychotic son of a bi…Beehive's word on that. They tend to lie."

"But, what if he doesn't want me? What if a DNA test proves that I am not his? That I belong to some Irish mobster? What if I am just as crazy as he is?" Her face became more alarmed as she continued to list possibilities and improbabilities.

"Do you really think Rick Castle would toss you to the street? Listen to me. O'Shea is probably lying. OK?" He understood her insecurity, but he was no psychologist. His master's degree was in criminal justice.

"Let's take it one step at a time. If Castle knew he wasn't your biological father from birth, he kept you. If he didn't care, he would have signed the custody papers and saved himself a whole lotta pain. " He grinned at her. "You are crazy. Biological father or not, Castle infected you with his particular brand of lunacy. As far as being the get of an Irish mobster, it least that could explain your good looks."

Surprise shot through her eyes at his words and gave him a gamine grin. She picked up the picture of them that Esposito had put down. "He has always loved me, no matter what."

"Yes and that man is as enthralled about you today as he was then." He tapped the picture. "Ryan and I are getting sick listening to how perfect you are. You have him firmly wrapped around this little finger." He pulled up her hand and grasped her smallest finger.

Tears filled her eyes again as looked at Esposito. "His beating was my fault. He should have…"

Esposito cut her off with a curse. "Damn. You go from one extreme to the other, don't you? You have to be a Castle because you bounce around like a super ball." He hugged her close. "None of this is your fault. It is nobody's fault except that … lunatic out there. You're kid. Just a kid. It is Castle's duty, my duty, every adult's duty to keep you safe and sound." He pulled back and shook her shoulders slightly. "Got it?"

She nodded. "I feel like I am going to explode." She grinned at him and wrapped her arms around his middle, laying her cheek on his chest. "What do you do when you feel like this, Javi?"

Esposito silently groaned. "I do target practice." An idea blossomed; he pushed her away holding on to her biceps. "Want to go to the firing range with me?"

She nodded and walking over to her dad's desk she pulled out key. She put the key into what looked like a large cigar box attached to the wall on one side of the window. Opening it, she pulled out a Smith & Wesson Centennial 442. It is what is called .38 special. "Dad bought this for me when we go to the firing range. His is a 9 mm in the box over there." She gestured to the other side of the window.

Esposito's heart stopped and went into overtime. That weapon had no safety catch and she was handling it like a toy. He took it from her hands. It was a ladies gun, lightweight and easy to use. Castle had chosen well. It was a hammerless weapon, no cocking necessary, nothing to catch on when pulling it from a purse or a coat. Simply load the cylinder, point and fire. This weapon was very simple and powerful.

Esposito popped the cylinder out. It was fully loaded. He turned the weapon, allowing the rounds to fall into his hand. "First lesson. Never keep your weapon loaded." He considered for a moment then shrugged. "Unless you are a trained professional."

She handed him a carrying case for her weapon that she had pulled from a cabinet and a couple of boxes of rounds. Esposito began to realize just how much he didn't know about Castle. He seemed outgoing, fun-loving, and always ready with a joke or a crazy theory; a horny teenager of legal drinking age. Yet Esposito's cop senses were telling him that there was more, much more to this man. Castle's uncomplicated appearance was beginning to crack and something dark was showing; a side that Esposito had never seen until today. Something wasn't right.

"Let's go." He handed her case and moved her to his left side. At her questioning look he responded, "My weapon is on my left side. I like having my right hand free." He demonstrated by reaching with his right hand to his left shoulder for his service revolver. He flipped up the back of his suit jacket to show her the small of his back. Another weapon, much smaller than his 9 mm, lay nestled between his spine and pants in a small holster. "Back up weapon." He placed his left hand on the small of her back and escorted her out the door.


	12. Chapter 12

Castle woke, a scream caught in his throat. The trauma psychologist had told him that he would have nightmares. He already knew that. His childhood had been full of nightmares; ones that he and his mother refused to speak about. His life hadn't always been about penthouse apartments, summers in the Hamptons and fun.

His grandparents had disowned their daughter when she got pregnant with him at 18. She refused to abort him or give him up for adoption. She refused to name to man. She had grown up as the spoiled only daughter of multi-generational wealthy family. She had played with the Rockefellers and Kennedys. Things were appalling for them until she began to land parts in good plays and it didn't hurt that she came into her trust fund when she turned 30. Something her grandparents had created before they died.

Her four marriages in attempt to find some stability for them were spectacular failures. One of the four was an actual good guy, but he had been the last of them. By that time, Castle was wary of his mother's choices. Those years of his life until he turned 11 were times he refused to remember and couldn't forget.

Castle wiped the sweat from his face with the sheet. Pain lanced through his body as he reached for his water glass. The nerve block for his back was wearing off and it was time for the Marquis de Sade's assistants to turn him and change his IVs. He gritted his teeth as he tried to turn himself. No matter how he laid, it hurt. He reached for the water again. It was out of his reach. He closed his eyes, frustration pounding in his brain.

A black hand picked up his glass and tilted the straw to his lips. Castle jerked away, flaying his right hand at what had touched his face. The glass dropped to the floor, shattering loudly in the stillness of the night. Castle's arms covered his face defensively, ripping the IV from his arm.

He was no longer in the hospital. He was lost in the terrifying feelings of just days ago. He could smell the room he had been trapped in; the smell of filth and his own bodily fluids strong in the straw of the mattress; the fleas and other bugs dining on him. "Castle. Rick. Come on up, buddy. You're safe." A masculine hand touched his shoulder, shaking him slightly. "It's alright. Come on into this world."

A light hit Castle's face, Captain Roy Montgomery swallowed hard. The man was trying to curl into a small ball. Montgomery looked at the door where one of the rank and file uniformed officers observed him and the broken glass on the floor. "I'll take care of it." The uniform closed the door.

Castle heard the voice and tried to make sense of what the man was saying. After long moments, Castle pulled his arms from his head and tried to straighten out. Fiery pain lanced through him from head to foot, he forced his eyes open, needing to focus on something. The brown eyes of the captain caught his gaze. "Breathe, Rick. Breathe through it."

Montgomery hit the call button for the night nurse. Seconds, later she came through the door. She turned on the soft light over the bed. The captain smiled. This would do the trick. She was Asian, not too young, but very pretty. She was average height and slender. "_Ahh, the benefits of being a celebrity." _He thought watching the nurse care for her patient.

She repaired his IV line and then gently, cautiously stroked Castle face with a wet cloth. "Mr. Castle, can you hear me?" At his slight nod, she continued. "We are going to give you something for the pain. It will be better in just a moment." She pulled a syringe from her scrub and injected it into his IV. "Hey, can I see your eyes for just a moment?" He carefully opened his eyes. They were still swollen and bloodshot, slightly unfocused as he looked at the nurse. She looked deeply into his eyes then used a pen light to check his pupils. "Good." She watched him as his breathing calmed and the panic left his face.

"Thanks." He muttered trying to hold her hand. The nurse had worked in a military trauma center for a few years. People who have been badly treated generally have one of two reactions. They either do not want anyone to touch them or they cannot get enough of physical contact. Obviously, Mr. Castle required the reassuring touches. She would make a notation in his file.

"Feeling better now?" She squeezed his forearm. She cleaned up the glass shards and water on the floor. She took a plastic glass from the bathroom and tore the cellophane from it. She filled it with water from the carafe on the bedside and added a straw from her pocket. "Mr. Castle, would you like some water?" At his nod, she placed the straw between his lips allowing him to drink. When he finished she placed the cup on the nightstand. "I'll be back later. I am Rachael. If you need me just push the button." She put the call button in his right hand and placed his thumb over the button She threw a smile at Montgomery and left. Mutely, the door closed slowly behind her.

Castle watched her go. "Ask her out."

The Captain's head swiveled to Castle. "I'm married." He stopped then qualified. "I'm separated, but that is still married."

"So? You have filed for divorce, haven't you?" Castle settled a little more into his pillow. "Ask her out."

He thought Castle had gone back to sleep. "What time is it?" Castle asked softly.

"A little after 1 am."

"I'm bored and I don't want to sleep. Got any cards?" Castle asked, easing himself up. Montgomery stopped him and showed him the buttons to move the bed. "Cool." He began to play with the controls.

Montgomery decided he liked it better when Castle was asleep. "I need to go to the bathroom." Castle muttered and pulled sheets off him. He swung his feet over the edge of the bed before Montgomery could move.

"Hey. I don't know if you are allowed up. Let's get the nurse, Rachael, in here." Montgomery saw that Castle was wavering a little. "You look a little green."

Castle pressed the button. "Ask her out."

Rachael and Montgomery helped Castle to the toilet. She showed him the button to push if he needed her, shut the door and left him in peace. She and Montgomery stood facing each other, trying to ignore any sounds coming from the bathroom.

"Will he be alright in there alone?" Montgomery asked, clearly concerned.

She liked that this man was so obviously anxious over his friend. There was none of the macho behaviors so often seen when men were hurting and their male buddies came, but it was early days yet. He was kind of sexy, too. She flashed him some of her perfect teeth and placed a hand on his arm. "Sir, Mr. Castle should be fine. He knows that we are here if he needs something. Sometimes, when someone is in pain the best thing you can do is simply be there."

He placed his hand over hers. "Roy." He saw her bewilderment. "My name is Roy Montgomery. Not even my detectives call me 'Sir.' Generally, it is Captain."

She smiled. "Roy it is." They had plenty of time to get to know each other if he continued staying with his friend. Mr. Castle would be here at least another 10 days. "Rachael Suhana."

They heard the toilet flush and waited for Castle to exit the bathroom. Moments past and the door didn't open. Rachael knocked on the door. There was no answer. Concerned, she opened the door and was not really surprised by what she saw. Castle was standing in front of the mirror looking at himself.

Richard Castle never really thought of himself as ruggedly handsome. He knew he was passably attractive and didn't scare children with his looks. He figured it was more his money and status that drew women to him. He decided he would have to write a lot more books and make a lot more money before a woman would want to be seen with him again.

There were patches of hair missing from his head. He couldn't see the sutures, but he could feel them with his fingers. Both eyes were black, bloodshot, just slits in his face. His nose was swollen and blood was crusted around his nostrils. Purple, blue, yellow and green were the colors of his face. His lips were cracked and slightly caked with blood. He could see several stitches in his upper lip and some more on his chin. He counted 16 stitches just above his left eyebrow.

He felt his teeth with his tongue and realized a trip to the dentist was going to be a priority. He opened his mouth and looked at them. None of his teeth were actually broken, but there were cracks and chips. He had bitten his tongue at some point. No wonder it hurt.

A warm hand touched his back of his neck and Beckett's face appeared in the mirror beside his, her head laying gently on his right shoulder with arm traveling around his back to is left. Definitely a 'Beauty and the Beast' moment, he thought. "It is bad now, Castle, but it has only been three days. Your looks will improve." She smiled at him, tears clouding her green eyes. "Would help you to know that I think you are better looking today than you have ever been? There is more to you than your looks. Your looks aren't what drew me to you. It was your heart."

He stared at her. "Watch out. Someone will figure it out." His right hand traced her cheek and lips.

"Let them." Her hand slid down his arm and across his hip to his bare ass. Lightly, lovingly she patted it. "I'll cover your ass for you." She pulled his hospital gown closed in the back, loosely tying it. "Let's get you to bed."

"Finally, she says the words I have been waiting to hear for three years and I can't do anything about it." He lamented to all that would listen.


	13. Chapter 13

Michael O'Shea had watched as the NYPD had taken the body of his wife and Castle away. Apparently, Castle lived. He had to admire someone who clung to life as tenaciously as that man did. Their shared daughter had a bodyguard in the form of another NYPD detective. She lived in an exclusive, high rent, extremely secure building. He smiled. She would be safe as he tied up all the loose ends.

Turning around, he looked at the remains of Jeffery Warren. He had managed to infiltrate O'Shea's organization. The man was an informer for Interpol. He looked at the dead man with his missing tongue. He had drowned in his own blood. That was the way of traitors as his wife found out when she tried calling this Detective Beckett.

He had decided not to kill Castle in the moments before one of his men slit his throat. Castle was a loyal man; a truly honest man. He had guarded O'Shea's daughter when her own mother would have killed her before Alexis took her first breath. He would have shared Alexis with him had he thought Castle would be willing. No, he wouldn't kill Castle unless he got in the way, but he would have his daughter. Castle would be hospitalized for at least two more weeks. O'Shea fingered the building plans to Castle's castle. He could get his daughter and be out of the country before Castle was out of the hospital.

Castle had finally drifted off to sleep; his worries at bay for the moment. Lanie, the police pathologist and her best female friend, came in handing Beckett a cup of coffee. "It is my turn to watch him." They had divided up the shifts at the hospital into 4 hour shifts. She was surprised at first when the writers that he played poker with and the mayor volunteered to sit with him, but knowing Castle, she decided she was surprised that there weren't more people wanting to watch over him. Females mostly.

"How is he doing?" Lanie whispered while she looked at the peacefully sleeping man.

"He had a nightmare." Kate looked sad for a moment, then grinned. "He got a look at his face in the mirror."

Lanie whistled softly. "I can imagine how that went over."

Beckett grinned. "He was standing there looking like he thought he was Frankenstein, but then I told him something."

"What?" Lanie curiosity was killing her.

"I kinda told him that I loved him." Beckett glanced up from Castle's face. "And then I told him his backside was hanging out. The hospital gown showed everything."

They both laughed. "I am glad you told him. He needs something to help him through this." Lanie said.

"He'll be fine." Beckett refused to believe anything different.

Lanie gave her concerned look. Kate Beckett specialized in denial; her feelings for the writer boy being case in point. "Kate, he is not going to be fine just like that." She snapped her fingers. "He has suffered psychological damage as well as physical. He is going to be reacting to this for a long time." Lanie could see that Beckett had taken swimming under water in the river of denial. "How is Alexis?"

"Her grandmother and I talked to her. Castle will have to talk to her, help her through this." Beckett looked at Lanie and sighed. "She is upset. She feels like everyone tried to deceive her. She doesn't know who she is any more. Not to mention, she feels guilty as hell. She blames her very existence for Castle's injuries." Beckett shrugged and rubbed her neck.

"Go home. Take a bath." Lanie suggested, settling herself into a chair beside Castle's bed and pulling out a romance novel. Something about a sheik. She held it up. "My guilty secret. Our secret."

Beckett let herself into Castle's apartment shortly after 4 am. Esposito was crashed on the sofa with a leg hanging over the back. He didn't even stir as she closed the door and set the alarms again. She couldn't blame him. The last ten days had been exhausting.

She went up the steps to Castle's bedroom. She decided the Jacuzzi could wait as could everything else. She opened the door to Alexis' room. Alexis room showed the in between stages of the child growing to woman. On the dresser was perfume and makeup with stuffed animals and dolls taking up one of the chairs. Roller blades and ice skates in one corner of the large room and in another, a prom dress. Dr. Seuss books fought for space on her book shelf with Chekov and physics. A large tv resided in an open armoire with many DVDs crowded on the shelf from 'High School Musical' to the 'Sound of Music' and 'Westside Story' to 'Casablanca' and few Pippi Longstockings.

Alexis herself was sleeping, sprawled on her stomach, her arm stretched out to a ragged stuffed dog. Beckett pulled the covers over her and smoothed the bright auburn hair. This girl was all Castle; bursting of love, giving, curious and full of life. Castle had shared the best aspects of his life with her and kept the dark, painful secrets from intruding on their idyllic, secret world of father and daughter. They had played games, the good guys always won. Beckett wished that Alexis would never find out that sometimes evil won even when good was very, very careful.

Quietly, she shut Alexis door and was entering Castle's bedroom when she saw Martha staring at her. "He told me…" Martha waved her off.

"No, my dear. Sleep. Morning will come soon enough. I am just going downstairs for a moment." She pulled her heavy robe tightly around her and tied it. Putting her hands in her pockets, she wished Beckett a good night and quietly descended the stair cases, looking for all the world like a diva ready to accept an award of some kind.

Beckett entered Castle's bedroom. It was masculine without being overwhelming. His furniture was a dark cherry wood. His clothes neatly hung in the closet and shoes lined up carefully. First time she saw this, he simply said "Prep School."

She pulled open a drawer and took a T shirt of his. Swiftly, she shed her clothes and wrapped her in the inimitable smell of Castle. She climbed into his bed and remembered him holding her after her apartment had blown sky high. Something had changed that night; she had begun looking him in a different way. One day, one day soon she would tell him he was her hero. She cuddled his pillow and inhaled deeply. Smiling she fell deeply asleep dreaming of happier days to come.

Martha entered her son's office and closed the door. She opened a cabinet and pulled out bottle of scotch. Pouring a couple of fingers of the fine drink, she sat in his chair and relaxed for the first time in a very long time. She looked at the bookcase on the far wall. It didn't seem quite … right. She sat up and looked again. The wall was moving.

Slowly, she stood. That was their escape route. Richard had decided after he had bought the building and converted it lofts that it would be prudent to have an individual escape route for each tenant. Her heart sped up. She could see the shadow of a man in the darkness of the secret stairwell. She let out a blood curdling scream, the type that had won her a major role early in her career. He was coming forward with a weapon in his hand.


	14. Chapter 14

**This chaper has been repaired. Sorry, worked a very long shift and neglected to see that I had saved/uploaded the correct version. Thanks everyone for your reviews and kind words.**

**Now let's return to the loft. The ending is only a few chapters away!**

* * *

The office door flew open, Esposito charged in with his weapon extended, yelling "NYPD" and for Martha to drop. Seconds later, Beckett charged through mimicking Esposito position only on the other side of the door. Alexis stood slightly out of the way, peering at Ryan.

"What the hell are you doing, man?" Esposito yelled at his partner. "We could have shot you!" He glanced about the room assuring himself that there was no danger present. He walked up to Ryan and shoved a forefinger into his chest. "You are a f…," he stopped remembering Alexis, "…lipping nimrod! If I shot you in head the bullet would clatter around and no damage done!"

"Are you nuts? Why didn't you announce yourself? You …You idiot!" Beckett was furious at Ryan. She ought to shoot him on general principals. She slapped his arm. Her green eyes shooting fire at her subordinate.

Martha sank to the chair, her hand to her chest. Alexis went to her Grams. "Are you ok?" Her own heart was doing a triple time beat.

"I am fine, baby. Just a little..discombobulated." She patted her Alexis' arm and glared at Ryan. "How did you know about that stairwell?" She picked up the drink she had poured moments ago and downed it.

Ryan held up his hand. They were going to massacre him if he didn't explain quickly. "I was coming around the corner when I saw this guy that matched one of Castle's descriptions enter a doorway in the alley. I followed him. There is a walkway around the building inside the building. Come take a look." He stepped aside to allow them to enter.

He was right. There was a staircase leading down with dim lights showing the way. It was spiral and only about three feet wide. There was a landing with weak lights that leads in both directions. Beckett and Esposito went in opposite directions, weapons in hand, while Ryan stayed with Martha and Alexis. They saw several more entrances to Castle's home, but no intruder. They went down the stairs to the open door that led into an alley. Beckett pulled the door shut. She sent the dead bolt home.

They returned to the study to find the ladies and Ryan fixing coffee and breakfast. Ryan whistled at Beckett. "Nice legs."

Beckett's eyes could have melted ice. "You'd look good in a body bag, too." She went back up the stairs to Castle's room to get dressed, tugging on the t-shirt all the way. She wondered about the intruder Ryan had spotted and where he had disappeared. She supposed it was possible while they were trying to take down one of her detectives that he had left through the open door. They needed to call CSU and the Captain.

Alexis stood at the door of her father's room, a fist raised to knock when the door opened and Beckett almost ran her down. She dodged the older woman and gave a small laugh. "Alexis!" Beckett took a deep breath and looked at Castle's daughter. "What do you need?"

"I need to show you something." Alexis' voice was soft but urgency layered the tone.

Beckett nodded and followed Alexis to her room. In her room sitting on her dresser was a large bouquet of flowers. There were white, pink and striped carnations mixed with bells of Ireland and baby's breath. Beckett turned to Alexis. "Get out of here. Go get the guys!" She pulled her weapon from the small of her back and started pushing the girl from her room.

A quick search proved the room empty of any intruders. They did find a doorway leading out into the landing they had discovered earlier. She followed hallway to the stairs and discovered nothing; the door was still locked.

When she came back into Alexis' bedroom, Martha was looking at the flowers. Beckett pushed the door shut with her shoulder. They needed to seal these doors today; if not all the doors then the door in the alley. "There is a card." Martha announced.

Esposito was holding the card gingerly by the corner using a pair of tweezers. "Say it with flowers" was written on one side. The other side read: "Alexis, my wee colleen, family is family and you are mine. May the wind always be at your back. "Til we meet. Your Da" he said looking at his boss.

"What does that mean?" Beckett asked as she looked at the card. "Call for CSU. Have them dust for prints."

"We know the drill and they have been called." Esposito threw an eyebrow at Beckett.

Esposito placed the card into a sandwich baggie and pressed it closed. Noticing Beckett following his move, he defended himself. "I opened the box of baggies myself. They were in the kitchen. Sealed. No cross contamination."

"Got it." Ryan announced from Alexis' computer, pulling Beckett's attention to him. "I can tell you what the flowers mean."

Alexis wrapped her arms around herself and sat on her bed. Martha joined her wrapping an arm around her granddaughter. "Everything will be fine. Just wait and see." Martha hugged her and felt some of the tension ease from Alexis' small frame.

Ryan read from the. "White carnations signify sweet and lovely, innocence, pure love and a woman's good luck gift."

Martha laughed. "Well, that is Alexis!" They all nodded in agreement and waited for Ryan to continue.

"The striped carnation means I can't be with you or I wish I could be with you. The pink one is I will never forget you. The bells of Ireland means good luck and baby's breath is innocence."

Alexis began trembling. She felt cold and violated. Tears were choking her throat. "I want my daddy."

CSU had come, did their job and departed, taking what evidence they could find which was very little. A uniform was appointed to stand guard at the door in the alley until the door could be permanently sealed. Beckett figured welding it would do it. The door and the frame were metal, but first things first.

She was ready for some coffee, good coffee, Castle coffee. She could hear soft laughter coming from downstairs and smell the breakfast was wafting up the stairs. All the things that are bad for you taste so good. Bacon, eggs, pancakes, and coffee was calling her name.


	15. Chapter 15

Alexis needed to talk to her dad. It had always been just them since before she could remember. He had kept her safe. She didn't feel safe anymore. Beckett had told her that having one's home invaded made for a few bad nightmares, but the entrance would be sealed before night fall. Esposito and Beckett both had stressed that her dad needed to recuperate, he was having his own nightmares. Her fists clinched as she remembered the injuries her father had sustained to keep her from harm's way.

She pushed open the door of her father's room. He was reading, but put the book down and smiled when he saw her. "Come to visit, sweetie? Come on in." He gave her a lopsided grin. "I won't bite, but watch out for those moths. They'll eat anything!" He waved at his face.

She stopped short of throwing herself on him as she had when she was a little girl. Careful of his injuries, she hugged him. "You smell. I love you." She muttered her face burrowed into his neck. The warmth and security of her father beckoned her.

Castle hugged her as tightly as he could. Beckett had called and told him what had happened. He was furious. He had authorized the permanent sealing of that door. His escape hatch and become a trap. He planned to have the door removed and bricked over as soon as he could. "They won't let me shower, sponge baths suck and I love you." He said as he kissed her red head.

She pulled away slowly. Looking seriously at him, she grasped his hand. "Are you my dad or is it this …" Her voice broke and her eyes filled with tears.

He cupped her small face, pale and drawn with worry and stress. "I am your father, Luke." His voice though not exactly Darth Vader, held a striking similarity. She giggled. "Alexis, I love you. You are my child and always will be my child even when you are old and gray."

"I will never be gray. Gram told me." She grinned at him. "Red heads go white." Her smile dropped. "Tell me."

He knew what she asked. She wanted the truth from him, something he had always shared, but he didn't know what the truth was this time. So, he told her what he did know the good and the bad. About her mother and her response to her pregnancy, her absolute desire to have no responsibility towards her daughter, his feelings, everything he could think she would want to know. By the time he had finished, she was sitting in the chair beside his bed looking their joined hands.

"I always thought I was like my mother and that I had gotten the red color from her. I thought the color of my eyes were just a genetic throwback. But, it makes me wonder what else I may have gotten from someone else." She squeezed Castle's hand.

He looked at her and sighed. A soft smile crossed his face. "You have always been my daughter. You will always be my daughter. You may, and I stress 'may', have gotten something physical from someone else, but that changes nothing. You are my little girl, no matter what." The smile fell away from his features as if it had never rested on his lips. "We could do DNA tests if you wanted."

Alexis' mouth opened and her eyes widened. "No! I … It doesn't matter. Really. I am just feeling a little…" She drifted off, unable to express the turmoil in her mind.

"Off. Scared. Afraid. Frightened. Worried." He tossed out words to her. She smiled. "Unsure. Hesitant. Insecure. Troubled. Vexed."

"Yes, Dad, you are a walking thesaurus." She smiled and ran her finger over her father's bristly cheek. "All those things and more."

He looked at her intently. "Me, too." He took her little hand in his larger one. "If you ever change your mind about being tested, just let me know. It won't hurt my feelings and won't change my feelings towards my daughter."

She smiled and remembered a father's day card she had gotten him a few years before. She quoted it to him. "Any man can be a father but it takes someone special to be a daddy." She hugged him again. "I love you, Daddy, but you still smell."

Castle finished his breakfast of eggs, orange juice and oatmeal. He was alone for the first time since he entered this hospital. A uniform was still stationed outside his door. He had deflected many of Castle's most ardent fans. He was healing. The IV was gone. He was on solid food. He could take a shower today. He wanted to go home. His once inviolate home was secure once more. He planned to make further security changes. Alexis would have bodyguard until O'Shea was gone from their lives. He had his own bodyguard and was going to enjoy every minute of it for a long time to come.

He had been here for 16 days. There had been a little set back when he had developed an infection, but that was resolving itself. The doctor said she would let him know today after she received his updated tests as to whether home was near or if he should simply have everyone move into some of the other rooms.

He walked into the bathroom, still sore and bruised. His sutures had been removed and his face was now a yellowish green. He had an appointment with his dentist for next week. His hand had been casted. He had lost almost twenty pounds in the last three weeks or so. He wore his own pajamas.

Alexis had bought him some new ones. She said there were things about her father that she would rather not see. Alexis seemed to have relaxed somewhat, but Castle knew that this wasn't over with her; this was simply the eye of the storm. He was researching psychologists for the both of them. Physical healing was nothing compared to the mental anguish that both had suffered. He hated O'Shea more for what he had done to his daughter than himself.

He wrapped the cast in the plastic bag and stepped into the shower, hot water raining down on him and he let it just take him away. His back stung slightly and his head still hurt, but all in all, he felt good and wanted to go home.

Castle heard something in his room. He turned off his shower and listened keenly. He knew he was being paranoid, but chills skittered up his spine. He felt like he was an animal trapped. Quickly, he dried off and dressed in his navy silk pajamas. He looked around for a weapon, not even a toilet plunger. He took a deep breath and opened his door.

Alexis and Beckett was in his room, looking at the large bouquet of flowers that decorated one of the small bed tables. Tulips of different colors with greenery were nestled in a Waterford vase; simple and elegant. He was surprised to find the flowers here. He had directed that any of the gifts sent to him be given patients that had no visitors, children's ward or the medical staff. Last count, had it over 150 different offerings.

Alexis turned worried eyes to her father. "There's a card." He pulled her to his chest, hugging her close.

Beckett pulled on gloves from her pocket and removed the card from the small envelope. "Flowers are sometimes just flowers. Believe not everything you hear. Guard my treasure until my return. O'Shea"

**Epilogue**

Castle had been home from the hospital for just over a month. They were all seeing a Dr. Kercoss to help them deal with the changes in their lives over the past couple of months. Alexis was as clingy now as she had once been as a small infant. She practically slept outside his door. Dr. Kercoss explained that in time Alexis would feel safe and let go. Esposito had continued Alexis' firearms training and had told Castle that she was progressing nicely.

Castle had not returned to the precinct yet due to Alexis' behavior and his own recovery, but he helped them whenever he could. He had just received a call from Kate saying she was on her way over. She had something important to tell him and Alexis.

Castle and Alexis were cooking dinner when Kate Beckett barreled through the door. She had long ago given up knocking and had her own keys to the entire building. Her face was alive with excitement. She hugged both of them and plopped into another chair.

"I received a call from Interpol. There was an explosion in a building in Liverpool about two weeks ago. They were building bombs there. They found several bodies. One has been identified as Michael O'Shea." She spun in her chair.

Alexis squealed and hugged her father. Castle was stunned. It was not at all how he imagined this would end. "How can they be sure that it is him? No DNA, remember?" Castle asked. "Slippery as an eel and as gone as a ghost was the metaphor you used."

"Castle. He's dead. They have his body." She kissed the corner of his mouth. Alexis giggled. A three way hug sandwich ensued with him as the filling. "They compared DNA from someone related to him."

Alexis broke the hug and ran off to her room. She yelled over her shoulder that she was going to call her Ashley and tell him the news. Alexis seemed alive again. She ran back and kissed his face, smiling, laughing – happy, then ran up the stairs.

He opened his lips to talk to Kate and Kate covered them with her own. When she broke the kiss she placed her finger over his lips. "Hush. You're being paranoid. I know you think it is too easy, but occasionally we get results tied in pretty bows."

He pulled her in for a kiss and then tucked her under his arm while finishing dinner. He remembered what the card in the hospital said. He knew O'Shea was not dead. A thought occurred to him. "Kate, where did you get the DNA?"

She looked at her lover with her heart in her eyes and lied to him. "Interpol had it. They were doing DNA cross comparisons of the bodies and it came up on the database." There was no need for him to know that it had come from Alexis. She stroked his face. A few scars here and there, his body leaner, tougher, no more marshmallow. She laid her head on his broad shoulder. "He's dead. Let it go."

Castle loved the look on her face and feel of her against him. He kissed her head. "Ok. You're right. I'm just being paranoid. I'll forget it." He said trading one lie for another. "No matter what, tell me you will always love me."

Concerned etched her face then faded. Both he and Alexis were insecure these days, but it would pass in time. "No matter what."


End file.
